§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider introducing a reduced rate of remuneration for general practitioners whose out-of-hours calls are carried out by a recognised deputising service.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeCurrent levels of remuneration are as recommended by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration which decided in 1982 to recommend no relative changes to out-of-hours remuneration on account of the use of deputising services but to take account of such use in its overall assessment of general practitioners' work load.
§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the annual savings to the National Health Service of a reduction of one third in the fee paid to general practitioners when a member of a partnership personally answers and deals with out-of-hours calls.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe would not expect any savings. As fees and allowances payable to general practitioners are designed to produce a certain level of average net remuneration, reduced payments of one fee would normally be offset by increased payments of others.